AMERICAN ROWING COMES OF AGE eased off to 32. It did not find it necessary to again extend itself, but it hit up a faster stroke just before it crossed the line. “Harvard had a harder race.”1531 “The Leander crew was made up mostly of men from that April’s winning Cambridge Varsity”1532 “After a tight struggle, the British crew went ahead, but suddenly it faltered, and Harvard fought forward inch by inch. At the halfway post the Americans were level, and at the three-quarters had a lead, but Leander still rowed desperately. The crowd was roaring with excitement as Leander came almost level. “‘Leander, Leander, Leander,’ cried the British. ‘Harvard, Harvard, Harvard,’ rang out the American reply. It was a scene almost of frenzy, but the Leander crew was clean rowed out, and Harvard had enough energy left to cheer the beaten crew and follow it with their war cry – entertainment that got them a great cheer from the crowd. “Harvard came back with Friends of Rowing History Harvard University Second Varsity Eight 1914 Grand Challenge Cup Champion (50th Reunion Row at Henley in 1964) applause, and as the crew landed, a pretty American girl threw her arms about the neck of one of the winners. “Harvard, therefore, gained a double triumph, for the Union Boat Club crew is composed of Harvard graduates who rowed for their university.”1533 “E.D. Horsfall of the Leanders, the defeated crew, said, ‘It might have been a better race, but the result could not have been different. 1531 Harvard Now Favorite, Associated Press, July 2, 1914 1532 Mendenhall, op.cit, p. 288 1533 American Oarsmen Win Henley Races, The New York Times, July 3, 1914 1534 Harvard Now Favorite, Associated Press, July 2, 1914 Bow Leverett Saltonstall, 2 J. Talcott, 3 H.H. Meyer, 4 H.S. Middendorf, 5 J.W. Middendorf, 6 D.P. Morgan, 7 Louis Curtis, Stroke Charles Lund, Coxswain H.L. Kreger “‘We intend to make ready for next year. While the American styles give a quick stroke, this had nothing to do with the result.’”1534 “Winnipeg’s victory over the Thames Rowing Club was fully expected, as Thames practically was the scratch crew, entered to maintain the club’s tradition of competing for the Grand Challenge every year. 409
